Residents should opt out of FirstEnergy Solutions

In May 2010 elections, Richland County voters approved the county's "Electric Community Aggregation Program," which is supplied by FirstEnergy Solutions.

After doing a little research I have decided to opt out of participating and am actively looking for another electric provider.

FirstEnergy has spent much of the last year trying to convince the public and the state legislators that renewable energy is too expensive for Ohio.

At the same time, it was overpaying its own subsidiary (FirstEnergy Solutions) 15 times the market rate for renewable energy credits, and overcharging its Ohio customers by more than $100 million, according to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The corporation bought renewable energy at prices more than 15 times higher than market rates and then jacked up customer rates to pay for the power. Last month the company was forced to return $43 million to Ohio customers, as reported by the Mansfield News Journal on Aug. 8. This is just the latest attempt by FirstEnergy to try and weaken Ohio's Clean Energy Law.

FirstEnergy should be investing more of its money in cheaper, safer and healthier energy choices. Energy efficiency and renewable energy standards in Ohio's Clean Energy Law are our best hope of a cleaner air, as well as a catalyst for developing an innovative industry and bringing more and better jobs to the State. FirstEnergy should stop fighting against it. Instead, it chooses to continue investing in outdated coal-fired power plants that are making Ohioans sick.

I believe this behavior should not be rewarded by Richland County customers and more of us should be opting out of FirstEnergy Solutions aggregation program until they stop trying to derail clean energy and energy efficiency.

Ozeas Costa

Mansfield

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Residents should opt out of FirstEnergy Solutions

In May 2010 elections, Richland County voters approved the county's 'Electric Community Aggregation Program,' which is supplied by FirstEnergy Solutions.